Very true. We are a heck of a lot closer than most think. Just a half way decent PG and another big away. There has to be some over paid PG out there who we can trade one of our over paid SG's for.

Click to expand...

If the Nets, Utah Jazz (they have NY's pick) or Minnesota T-Wolves end up with the #1 pick the draft should get real interesting. John Wall will definitely be the #1 pick unless he gets hurt or something really crazy happens.

If NJ gets him, they will be looking to move Devin Harris' contract ASAP especially if they strike out in Free Agency.

If Minn gets the #1 pick they'll looking to make some moves also, Flynn may become available all of a sudden, rumor has it that Sessions is available now.

If Utah gets that pick, I think they trade it, you don't need Wall and Williams, but hey they very well may go into cost cutting mode and move Deron Williams, stranger and dumber things have happened.

If the Nets, Utah Jazz (they have NY's pick) or Minnesota T-Wolves end up with the #1 pick the draft should get real interesting. John Wall will definitely be the #1 pick unless he gets hurt or something really crazy happens.

If NJ gets him, they will be looking to move Devin Harris' contract ASAP especially if they strike out in Free Agency.

If Minn gets the #1 pick they'll looking to make some moves also, Flynn may become available all of a sudden, rumor has it that Sessions is available now.

If Utah gets that pick, I think they trade it, you don't need Wall and Williams, but hey they very well may go into cost cutting mode and move Deron Williams, stranger and dumber things have happened.

Click to expand...

Good stuff KG... Devin Harris would be perfect... maybe for our first and Rip... Rip's the kind of vet that could attract a high level FA for them.

Not saying I know anything about basketball but I said before the season began that all we really needed was a true point guard. The resident "genius"...You know who...(who also predicted they would not win more than 20 games)...laughed at the idea.

Tank? WTF? I don't think any team should tank. It's not sportsmanlike. If the question is "Do we trade for the future?", I guess that could be an option, but not at this point in the season. Nobody knows how things will shape up.

Personally, I like this team and I like the coach. I'm very happy with the results so far. I see a promising future and an entertaining today.

Good stuff KG... Devin Harris would be perfect... maybe for our first and Rip... Rip's the kind of vet that could attract a high level FA for them.

Click to expand...

If NJ gets the #1 pick-John Wall, they won't even want Rip, they'll simply look for someone to take on Harris' contract to drop their payroll by $9M, I'll bet our 1st rd pick could land him from The Nets.

We could actually accomodate that trade if we can somehow move Max and Wilcox off the books.

Crazy at it seems I also think we could easily land Bosh in a sign and trade if he doesn't follow behind LeBron or Wade. Wade seems to be the one who's dancing to his own beat, might be going home to Chicago. That leaves Bosh chasing LeBron, I think we can sell him on the idea that playing with a young, deep, talented, versatile team, within a very focused organization, trumps playing 2nd fiddle in The LeBron Show.

Would you trade Rip and say Kwame Brown (choosing him and his expiring over Max from the other teams perspective) for Ray Allen and his 18 million expiring contract knowing that Allen's contract might only be worth 50% of it's original value if the cap drops?

How much more would you offer to make this happen if you like this deal, like a draft pick etc?

Well, Kwame comes off the books next year too, and I don't think he gets more than $2 or $3 million in free agency, so it is a pretty good deal to get 50% of Ray's deal off the cap IMO.

I would want Boston to throw in a pick or two though. Rip is worth more than an expiring.

Click to expand...

Wasn't Chauncey worth more also?

Allen can still play and went to UConn so they would still have that going for them. He would upgrade their 3pt shooting.

I was actually thinking of the Pistons throwing in a draft pick for getting the cap room flexibility and for BOS taking on Rip's deal. Kwame coming off doesn't help them all that much, they're 32 million over the cap!

I really liked that Rondo "offer" from this summer. I read about this Rip for Allen deal in some random comments section somewhere online in the preseason and it has always intrigued me.

We got Dyess back for almost nothing, right? That seems like the best possible value we could have recieved for CB. Got a hall of famer/ expiring contract (who replaces the player we lost at the same position) + Dyess back after a sham waiver. Just not sure why JD signed Rip that morning for a long-term deal...

As I look at other teams financial situations, their team needs and the potential draft order, I think that both Rip and Tay will have more value on draft night than at the trade deadline.

The most likely draft scenario is that Minnesota or NJ will end up with the #1 draft pick. Minnesota is weak at the wing- our strength, and over staffed at the point-our weakness. NJ wants enough cap space to land 2 Free Agents this summer, if they draft Wall, then it allows them agressively go after that goal by offering up Devin Harris' $9M contract on a silver platter, any team that has the cap space to eat that contract, so that NJ doesn't have to take any real payroll back, will be in a really good position, they'll either want a pick or picks, or they will want a player with potential playing on their rookie deal (IE a Jonas Jerebko type player)

I say all that to say this, Involving Rip and/or Tay in a 3-way deal on draft night is very likely and would put us in a favorable position.

We got Dyess back for almost nothing, right? That seems like the best possible value we could have recieved for CB. Got a hall of famer/ expiring contract (who replaces the player we lost at the same position) + Dyess back after a sham waiver. Just not sure why JD signed Rip that morning for a long-term deal...

Click to expand...

Nice discussions fellas... The Ray Allen deal would be worthwhile if we gave up a 2nd or the white guy that's playing over seas (sorry it escapes me). Would prefer the bigger bang in TMac's contract. Make no mistake that this is the kind of deal that would lead to a much sweeter deal.

I wonder how much sleep Joe loses trying to correct the imbalance? Gotta admit I'm much more interested in the next step over the current product (which is suprisingly good).

As I look at other teams financial situations, their team needs and the potential draft order, I think that both Rip and Tay will have more value on draft night than at the trade deadline.

The most likely draft scenario is that Minnesota or NJ will end up with the #1 draft pick. Minnesota is weak at the wing- our strength, and over staffed at the point-our weakness. NJ wants enough cap space to land 2 Free Agents this summer, if they draft Wall, then it allows them agressively go after that goal by offering up Devin Harris' $9M contract on a silver platter, any team that has the cap space to eat that contract, so that NJ doesn't have to take any real payroll back, will be in a really good position, they'll either want a pick or picks, or they will want a player with potential playing on their rookie deal (IE a Jonas Jerebko type player)

I say all that to say this, Involving Rip and/or Tay in a 3-way deal on draft night is very likely and would put us in a favorable position.

Click to expand...

Won't happen. Not necessarily the events, but the scenarios leading up to them. You have to work at the mind-set of JD. He might be two players away from a closer reach toward the brass ring. Short of Wall, he would be another merry-go-round of him "Breaking Priscian's Head." He won't go there again.

I don't think Joe will deal Tay or Rip to a bottom dweller. Not his style. I think it is likely that one or both are dealt and yes, it may mean a 3 way deal. Rip and Tay will wind up on a good team...

Click to expand...

Everytime I think of how to move one of them I have that same thought come to mind, I too subscribe to the belief that Joe will not ship one of "The Core" players off to a lottery bound team, Joe can be loyal to a fault.

Ray Allen was traded to BOS along with a 2nd rounder (who became Big Baby) for Delonte West, Wally Z's expiring (or soon to expire) deal plus the # 5 pick in the draft when he was coming off pretty major ankle injury/surgery.

This was a draft day deal, so maybe that does offer more hope that a deadline deal as KG suggested.

Ben is a center, JJ is a forward, if you want JJ to have a really short career ask him to play center in this league. Remember when Ben used to defend Shaq, ALONE, one-on-one, and take that bruisng punishment in a 7 game series......JJ????? Are you serious, DelfinoDelivers you cool and everything - but man I swear, sometimes your thinking is...............

Click to expand...

I knew this response was coming. I am not suggesting that JJ play center. BEN can play center defensively but he should be a PF in this league based upon size. Unfortunately his skillset does not lend itself to this position.

I was just saying that the hustle, rebounds and defense that BEN provides could be provided by JJ from the PF spot. He also adds a scoring threat that BEN does not.

Tanking may get you a high pick, but it kills the spirit of the players. When a decision to tank is made, you're essentially telling your players "You all don't have what it takes to compete. The only thing that'll make a good squad out of you losers is some random 19 year old kid."

That's got to do wonders for team chemistry. I'm guessing it'll also create some sort of resentment towards the eventual "Golden Boy that will make us a contender, cure all ills and end world hunger."

Thank god that my Pistons won't tank. I don't believe Joe D. will steer the team in that direction. If we were to tank any season, it should've been the last and we still somehow made it to the playoffs.